One of the best films of the 1930's and one of the greatest comedies ever made. This typically uncinematic George Cukor movie may possibly be the very pinnacle of his work on screen because he had the intelligence to film it straight knowing the material and the cast would speak for themselves.
The female of the species goes jungle red in tooth and claw in this brilliant screen adaptation by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin from Claire Boothe Luce's famous Broadway play--a wickedly funny portrait of 1930s society women whose lives revolve around beauty treatments, luncheons, fashion shows, and each other's men. Socialite Mary Haines is the envy of her set: rich, beautiful, and happily married... but when her husband steps out on her with a gold-digging perfume counter sales clerk, Mary's so-called friends dish enough dirt to make divorce inevitable whether Mary wants it or not. It also shows the values and thinking about women's roles at that time; but challenges them at the same time. As embodied by Mary's mother-in-law, there's a feeling of "boys will be boys" and the thought that even though her husband is playing around (for no good reason given - they seem to be a happy couple), Mary should let him get his "wild oats" out of his system, and look the other way. On the other hand, it shows a rich and varied view of all types of women, intelligent, catty, gentle, vicious, etc. They are not necessarily defined by the men in their lives - who are not shown. It actually shows the women ultimately deciding how their men will live - and with whom. George Cukor always had that reputation as a women's director and this film with the obvious title probably is what gave him that reputation. The Women takes a lot of its edge also from the real life situation at MGM. Norma Shearer, being the widow of Irving Thalberg, was the dowager queen of the lot and she still got the first pick of dramatic parts. The rest got Shearer's leavings, especially Joan Crawford. That led to a lot of resentment around MGM. Among the supporting cast look for good performances from Joan Fontaine as the young and shy divorcée, Mary Boland as the scatterbrained Zsa Zsa Gabor of the day, Paulette Goddard who gets Russell's goat, her man, and the best of her in a chick fight and Marjorie Main as the wisecracking owner of a Reno dude ranch where the women stay when they're shedding their mates. “The Women” is a wonderful catty, witty, hilarious movie At 7pm at the Sun Theatre Yarraville
Set and shot in Afghanistan, Jirga is the story of former Australian soldier, Mike (played brilliantly by Sam Smith), who returns to Afghanistan after three years to find the family of a civilian he accidentally killed during the war. Seeking forgiveness, he gets a driver to take him from Kabul to Taliban held Kandahar where he puts his life in the hands of the village justice system - the Jirga. Told with the intimacy and realism of a documentary, this is actually a drama set against the background of the immense Afghan landscape; sharp mountains, buttes, stony deserts and dust. But there are also surreal moments in a pristine, blue lake with a pink swan paddle boat. The young Australian is the outsider and definitely no longer in the dominant position he was. It's a measured story of the meeting of cultures and a perspective on Australia's longest war that we have not seen before. The action throws up moral and ethical choices for all, making this beautifully crafted thriller concise, powerful and compelling. The portrayals are rich and the characters are easy to identify with, the camera work superb. Jirga is highly recommended Review from andrewbunney, 27 September 2018 on IMDB.com Before seeing this film, I heard that it had an interesting history. It was to be shot in Pakistan, because Afghanistan was considered too dangerous. However, the director was not allowed to make it in Pakistan, so he sent most of his crew home, and just a few hardy folks went with him into Afghanistan itself, because he did not want the whole project to be wasted. As a viewer, I was very pleased indeed with the result, but quite nervous along the journey that's for sure. He had a mission to accomplish, and we watch as his perceptions of the country change, and, as the film progresses, we all begin to see what these people actually consider to be important. He has to adjust (and does so) in order to have any likelihood of succeeding. Watching this gradual realization of what he must do is fascinating. The mix of people, both old and young, is very engaging, and we also try to work out how we would interact with these people in the situations encountered. The towns and countryside of Afghanistan also play a vital role in the story, much of it being mountainous desert. So the film has a great mix of tense relationships, coping with a foreign culture and an unforgiving environment, handled with skill and a lightness of touch. Definitely worth the journey. Review from marklear-1, 25 October 2018 on IMDB.com A Perfect Day is the newest film from Spanish director Fernando Leon de Aranoa. The film is made by Spaniards, told in English, and takes place in the Balkans, a very curious mix, which nonetheless produced one of the best films of the year.
Spanish physician Paula Farias (Doctors without Borders) wrote a novel based on her experience in the Balkans and the present film (an English spoken Spanish production) represents the cinematographic transposition of her work. It's a lovely movie with no plot: it just narrates how common people could spend a day (actually a couple of days) trying to help, in the middle of events enormously bigger than them. There are no heroes here, only experience. No guilt, just sorrow. No right way to do things besides thinking and wishing to care. And then there is fate, of course. A (good) way to look at the world. The compelling story begins with a simple event that becomes a complex masterpiece. "A Perfect Day" opens as a group of aid workers in the war torn Balkan region struggle to pull a dead corpse out of the village well before the rotting flesh poisons the water. When their only rope breaks and the body falls back down the well, the team leader Mambru (Benicio Del Toro), his garrulous friend, B (Tim Robbins), the novice aid worker, Sophie (Melanie Thierry), and the local translator, Damir (Fedja Stukan) must drive through the countryside searching for another rope. Disheartened by ridiculous peace protocols, hostile natives, and invisible landmines, they find their only salvation is to act humanly in the present rather than cling to their past beliefs or live for their future dreams. Olga Kurylenko (Katya) and Eldar Residovic (Nikola) round out the cast. The cinematography is also very simple, with few flourishes and Director of Photography Alex Catalan (Marshland, Unit 7) gives the movie a cold almost wintery look that makes the message and harshness of the story fall sharper and hit you harder. (From a variety of reviews on IMDB.com) |
Williamstown Film Society
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May 2019
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